Secretly
by larrrrrrystylinson
Summary: James and Katie have been together for a long while- secretly. Only one person knows, and no one knows that person. So when Kendall gets a lead, what might happen? I'm rubbish at titles summaries. You should just trust me and read it though. :D


**Hi I'm rubbish at titles. d: Hahaha, seriously though, I wasn't sure what I should call this, so it's really lame. **

**ANYWAYS. **

**Uhm, I don't know. I just kind of got this idea in my head and it wouldn't go away until I wrote it down, so here it issss~ **

**Disclaimer: lol i own them. totally. really. i'm not joking. they're mine. **

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><p>"Katie!" James whispered from outside her door, tapping it lightly with his knuckles. She grinned, hopping off her bed and rushing to open it, gaping when she noticed his appearance. He looked <em>stunning<em> in the simplest terms, and it was surprising how much more attractive a tuxedo could make him. "Ready?"

She nodded once after drawing in a deep breath. "Yeah," she answered, pulling her door shut quietly. She tip-toed behind him down the hall and into the living room, where he pulled a rose from the table top and handed it to her. Granting him a smile she cocked her head towards the door and he nodded, opening it as quietly as he could, motioning for her to go. He closed it behind him so they now stood in the hall way completely alone. "You're going to get us killed one day, James Diamond."

"It's completely worth it, Miss Rebellious-Until-It-Concerns-Her-Big-Brother," he sing-songed.

She crossed her arms and huffed. "You're involved too! Aren't you worried about _the face_? He'd break it if he were to find out!"

"You'd love me even if _the face_ was broken, right?"

"Of course!" she cried incredulously.

"Then it doesn't matter _what_ he does to _the face_—"

"It matters if you're living or not!"

He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Calm down, babe, we're _fine_, and you're wasting our precious time. By the way, you look absolutely beautiful."

She blushed at him and nodded in thanks, taking his pro-offered hand in hers and allowed him to lead her down the hall way to the elevator. They made it down to the lobby and smiled at the lady behind the desk.

Heather, the middle-aged night-time manager, was a major 'fan' of the two. Ever since they had started secretly dating she was the only one who knew. They hadn't even planned for her to know, but then again, their first date was the first time they had ever laid eyes on her. Never once had either of them considered the Palm Woods having another manager, but then again, Bitters did need his sleep, and there were issues that could arise at night, along with sight-seers that got in late.

She had asked what was going on when they were sneaking out for the first time, and too shocked to tell anything but the truth, James had muttered quickly about him secretly dating his best friend's little sister. When Heather had prompted why it needed to be a secret and they explained it, she couldn't stop smiling saying it was almost like Romeo and Juliet. When Katie had been about to protest she laughed and explained that they wouldn't die in the end—at least not because the other did, but James may if Kendall found out. She had rooted for them though, and like every Friday night, she had been ready to see them off again.

"Where to tonight?" she asked as they exited the elevators. "Looking snazzy, James. You too, Katherine."

"Off to a 'romantic' dinner—early breakfast?—_meal._ I can't tell you where because _I_ don't know where yet," Katie grumbled.

"It'll be worth it," James promised, kissing her hairline swiftly. He turned to Heather. "See you in a few hours!"

"Have fun you two!"

Now they were standing outside the BTR mobile. Katie stood with her arms crossed defiantly and James had wide, puppy dog eyes made at her. "Please?"

"I am not wearing one of you bandannas over my eyes!"

"Come _on_!" he pleaded. "It'll be worth it!"

Fifteen minutes later she had relented and James placed her in the car, shutting the door behind her. He walked around to the driver's side and took off.

It wasn't too long of a drive for them, and they ended up pulling up in the parking lot of a beach where an aisle of torches were lined up leading to a large blanket laid out on the beach. There was a picnic basket set atop the cloth and a lantern on top of the basket.

James led her down the pathway of torches, allowing her to look around at the scenery. He had to _beg_ the beach manager to allow him to do this, explain that the man could even supervise if he pleased. He had turned him down on that offer though accepted the offer of 'I swear if anything is wrong I'll pay for it—I don't even know how. I'll do community service. _Just please_.'

The look on Katie's face was more than enough to let James know that those two painful hours in that stuffy beach house office were more than worth it. Her eyes were wide, taking in everything. The moon's light on the waves gave a soft white-blue tinted glow to the atmosphere, and then the red-orange tint added by the fires making the lighting more romantic than that of an expensive restaurant.

"James—" she murmured softly, "—this is _perfect_."

"I knew you'd like it," he smiled, leaning in for a passionate kiss once they reached the end of the line of torches.

"Damnit I _love_ it—it hasn't even begun but this is by far one of the best dates yet."

She pulled him over to the blanket and sat down, tugging him down with her. She immediately went in for a kiss when they were both situated on the blanket, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

* * *

><p>"Hey Heather!" Katie chirped happily.<p>

"Hey!" James shouted happily.

"Uh, guys?" Kendall frowned, looking at his baby sister and best friend, "who is that?"

"Uhm—"

"Hey you two!" she smiled at them. "I have a meeting with Bitters—bet it's odd to see me in the day light, right?" She giggled and sat down in one of the chairs as she waited for the larger man to call her into the office. "Who is this?" she asked, motioning to Kendall.

Katie bit her lip. "Heather, this is _Kendall_, you know? My _big brother_?"

"And my _best friend_!" James piped up. He was making sure to emphasize the point but still get it across that Kendall was just as much in relation to him as the blond boy was to Katie.

"Why would she know?" Kendall asked he baby sister, sitting up straight. "Who are you, Heather?"

"I'm part of the hotel staff," she answered professionally. "I've gotten to know these two, and I've heard nothing but good things, Kendall. Calm down." She paused. With a quick glance at the secret couple she drew in a breath and stared at the boy. "Say, do you know I'm married to the boy I've been with since I was thirteen? My brother didn't like it at all. But he grew out of it. Just like you might want to do—Katie's not a little girl."

Katie flushed at the words and turned away from Kendall, looking at James. "Yeah, man," James piped in.

"Says the boy that stalked her date with Kyle!" Kendall huffed.

"Six years ago!"

Heather rolled her eyes. "Kyle is more than nice, and so is Tyler, maybe. Maybe that new boy, Sam, too. And sometimes the most unlikely people are good for others, too. Don't restrict your sister, hun. It's not helping her. It may be hurting her."

"Oh god, guys, can't you stop?" Katie buried her face into her hands and James chuckled from next to her, and Heather sighed.

Kendall looked up at the lady. "I'm very well aware of what I'm doing, and when there is someone _deserving_ of my baby sister I'll let it happen!"

"What if you're just—"

"Heather!" Mr. Bitters growled from the open door of his office. "Where are you?"

She sighed and stood up. "Bye Katie! Bye James! See you in a few days."

"Was she just trying to give something away with that last line?" James muttered, letting his head fall back onto the chair.

"Give what away?" Kendall asked in shock.

"Look out for something on Thursday," Katie told him quickly as a cover. "I'm not telling you what. But if you can catch it, congratulations. If not, then you'll just have to wonder what for the rest of your life."

Kendall stared at them before settling back into his seat uneasily. He was curious now, _very_ curious, and he would _not_ relent. Katie better be prepared, and James, too.

* * *

><p>"Is there a light on?" Katie asked warily as the door opened. James looked at her before turning forwards to see the light above the swirly slide turned on, Kendall peering down from it. "Oh no," she murmured as James's jaw dropped.<p>

"Hey baby sister," Kendall smiled bitterly, waggling his fingers. "Have a nice time?"

"What are you doing up?" she cried desperately.

The blond disappeared into the swirly slide and appeared at the bottom, standing up and crossing his arms. "Well," he started, "I was curious as I lay in bed—_what_ could my sister and my best friend be doing on Thursdays that involved hotel staff? And then I heard in the room besides me, James shuffling around. I could tell it was James because it was a quiet shuffling, unlike Carlos's obnoxious and confused shuffling. And then I heard about fifteen minutes later, at _nearly two am_, the front door open and close."

Katie bit her lip and gripped James's forearm desperately. He moved her behind him so she could see around him but so she was protected from any fit that Kendall may throw. He reached his other arm around his back and gripped blindly for one of her hands, relaxing when she clutched at his.

"I got even more curious then. I checked James's room and he wasn't there. And I decided you, being the James expert that you are, might have an idea what was up. So wasn't I in for a shock when I opened up your door and—lo and behold!—my little sister had vanished!" he laughed, borderline hysteric. "I hurried on down to the lobby—were you two pulling a prank? What was going on?—and _that's_ when I ran into a nice lady. Heather, it was. She was shocked to see me, I'll tell ya! Told me that it was all fine—you were doing her a favor… At _two in the morning!_ And it's not a Thursday!

"It was all a bit curious. So, why shouldn't I have waited it out? I mean, I was up already anyways. But then, it was three and you weren't back. It was four and you weren't back. Katie, it was _five am_ and you _weren't back_!" he hissed venomously. "Do you know how _scared_ I was? I was going _out_ of my mind! And now it's nearly six and you waltz back in like it's nothing!"

"Because it _is_ nothing!" Katie shouted angrily, stepping out from behind James. He made a grab for her but she stormed out of her reach towards her brother. James followed quickly and stood next to her, ready to defend her at any moment.

"How is it _nothing_?" he cried. "You could have been hurt! How do I know you weren't out doing drugs, Katie? James isn't exactly Mr. Perfect! Speaking of which, stop trying to protect my sister! From _me_! I'm not going to hurt her!"

"You're known to be quite rash when upset, you know," James growled. "You would never forgive yourself if you _did_ lash out. And I wouldn't forgive you either."

"Damnit James, stay _out_ of this!" he growled. "Katie in what world is it okay for you to sneak out at night? With _James_? Do you know how _worried_ I have been?"

"_No_," she growled, "I _don't_. Maybe that's because I thought you were asleep like you have been for the past forty-eight times we've snuck out!"

"F—Katie—_forty-eight_ times?"

"Forty-nine, now," she stated arrogantly.

"What have you been _doing_?" he asked. "What are you thinking? What goes through your head every time you do another stupid thing with this stupid guy—"

"Would you _stop_ insulting James!" she shouted angrily.

"No! He's obviously an idiot if he thinks taking you out to do drugs or drink or whatever he's doing is okay!"

"If you think _either_ of us are stupid enough to do that—" Katie started.

"If you're calling me stupid for taking her out, you're calling her just as stupid for going with me," James hissed, "and you're hurting her, you asshole. You really think that screaming at your 'baby sister' is the right thing to do? How about hearing her out? How about you stop making stupid assumptions about your _precious_ sister, and stop treating me like I'm the world's stupidest man! Stop treating me like I don't treat Katie just as perfectly as you! You know I would _never_ hurt her—"

"How do I know that, James?" Kendall raged. "You've proved me wrong with _lots_ of other things, how do I know you won't prove me wrong with this?"

"Stop acting like he's done more than almost left the band," Katie growled. "Grow up—that was almost _six years ago_, and it was _your_ fault! You have _never_ let that go! You have no other thing that he's let you down on."

"Katie—!"

"Listen!" James demanded, capturing Kendall's attention again. "Listen to her, listen to me, listen to your_self_. Out of all of us, who is making the least sense? You are. You're only hurting everyone here."

"You deserve to be hurt!"

"Shut _up_!" Katie cried. "It's _your_ fault in the first place, so if you want _anyone_ to get hurt, put your fist in your own face!"

That shut Kendall up. The blond boy stared at her, blinking every few seconds trying to process what she had just said. "What are you talking about?"

Katie sighed. "You're the one who thinks no one is good enough, when the one that _I'm_ not good enough for has been here for my entire life—for the majority of yours. Do you really think that James and I could just out and tell you we're dating?"

"Like you just did?" James muttered towards her.

"He's already exploding…" she murmured back. "Add more vinegar to the baking soda! Maybe it'll mean a better—or more exciting in the least—explosion."

Kendall stood silently, completely still. He was gaping at his sister, still processing her words. "Katie… I swear this better be some shitty cover up story for what is really going on—"

"_Why?_" she cried desperately. "Why can't you accept _one_ thing about me? I'm not your _baby_ sister any more, Kendall! I'm your _younger_ sister! And maybe I wouldn't secretly complain to _everyone_ how much I hate being called your _baby_ sister if you accepted the fact that I'm _not_ a baby! Do you know how much of my life you miss out on because I have to hide it from you because I'm _terrified?_ I've been with James for a _year_ in two weeks and you don't even _care_ about whether the sixteenth is going to be one of the best days of my life or not!"

"You've been dating him for _a year_, Katie? And you didn't tell me? Doesn't that just _show_ you're not mature enough to be doing all of this stuff you want to do—"

"I've been more mature than you since I turned _eight_, Kendall! I practically _own_ three celebrities by being their manager and they look to me when they're unsure of anything. I save your butt on a monthly basis, if not weekly, if not _daily_. I had to leave my best friends unlike you when we moved here, and I had to grow up _much_ faster than you did. I've been mature enough. I didn't tell you because _you're _not mature enough. We're standing in the middle of the living room at quarter to six arguing, for god's sake! You think this is a _mature_ reaction?"

"You're too young and James is too… _James_!"

"What the _hell_ is that supposed to mean?" James growled.

"Up until last year you flirted with _everything _in a skirt, took a girl out every week, and another out the next. You've corrupted my baby sister—"

"I've done _nothing_ to your baby sister!" James shouted. "I won't even lay a hand on her in any way that you're implying until she's eighteen and _ready_, which may I remind you isn't what happened with you and Jo. I wouldn't think of harming your sister in _any_ way and you just go and assume—"

"It's kind of hard not to!"

"It took me seven months and six days from the moment I told her that I had feelings for her, to convince Katie she wasn't just _some_ _girl_ that I wanted to take out! By the time we actually got around to dating, we could genuinely say we loved the other. And it was only because I was waiting for her to turn a reasonable age!"

"_Fourteen_ is a reasonable age for a nineteen year old to date?"

"By the time we started dating I was fifteen!" she huffed.

"It's not _right_—"

"Exactly!" she cut in. "You're _wrong_, so _drop it_ Kendall. Even if you _try _and fight this, it's _not_ going to work. You made it so we couldn't tell you. Couldn't tell _anyone_ in fear of you finding out. We snuck out almost _every_ Friday night and one extra night—a Thursday—for our six month. Do you know how much dedication that takes? To only be with your significant other _once_ a week for four, sometimes five, hours? And then when you wake up you have to act like their little sister!"

"Because that's all you are! His little sister!"

"I think it's time I stepped in," a voice rang out from the opening of the hall. Mrs. Knight stepped out from the darker part of the shadows and into the dining room, her robe wrapped tight around her waist and her arms tightly crossed over her chest. Her lips were pursed as she walked towards them and she was staring at Kendall. "Don't look so surprised, bud. You were the one who screamed loud enough to wake Carlos up. He was too scared to intervene so he ran to wake me up."

"Well you don't even know what we're talking about!"

"I'm pretty sure, actually," she nodded. "I've been here since you decided that James should be hurt. Don't tell me you were thinking of ruining _the face_ were you?" The sarcastic tone made James smile and wrap an arm around Katie. Mrs. Knight winked at him then and he smiled wider. Kendall was just about to protest when she started talking again. "Your sister has a point—none of this would be going on if you could just accept that she's growing up. You don't even have to be okay with it—you just have to accept it."

"But she's—she's _Katie_!"

"You think this is any easier on me?" she snorted. "I've already had one of my babies grow up! Kendall, you really think having my last baby grow up is easy?"

"She's my _only_ baby sister though—"

"And I always _will_ be, big brother," she murmured, "but I'm not always going to be the three year old baby sister. Do you really think it was easy on me when Leah left you when you were thirteen? Or when Jo left you? You've been hurt, but I've been there. I haven't tried to prevent the hurt because it's not my hurt to prevent. It hurts me, but it's your lesson to learn. And with James, my lesson _had_ been learned when I finally got over my crush. And then he brought it back and I was _careful_. I know the stupid James you're talking about, and James does, too. But _everyone_ knows he's changed. It wasn't from a broken heart like you guys thought, though. It was from a… well, a _perfect_ heart—he started chasing after me and we fell in love—and if you've heard the story of Romeo and Juliet, there is _nothing_ you can do to keep two people in love apart."

"But—!"

"Kendall," their mom snapped. "How can you even think of protesting that?"

"She's _sixteen_, Mom!"

"And you were _fifteen_ when you started dating Jo, just like she was when she started dating James."

"She's been sneaking around!"

"I'm not happy about that either, but what else is a girl supposed to do?"

"_Not_ date the guy?"

"That's out of the option," Katie growled. "Mom, good luck."

With that, Katie grabbed James's hand and led him into her room where she stripped down, pulling on a pair of her pajamas before tossing James a pair. She slept in his clothes for the most part, anyways.

When he was finished changing he climbed into the bed where Katie was beckoning him over. He climbed in under the covers and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his bare chest. "I'm sorry—"

"Stop," she demanded. "_I'm_ sorry. _You're_ the one that he attacked for the most part. He attacked me by attacking you."

He breathed out a short laugh. "Some of the things he said were pretty painful," he admitted.

"And I _promise_ you're not _any_ of those things. You're _nothing_ like what he said you were. One day he'll be—"

"Sorry?"

The both looked over at the door in shock. Kendall stood, his eyes shut tight and his head swaying back and forth. He looked genuinely apologetic, enough so that Katie didn't order him away upon his arrival. They both sat up, Katie still in James's arms. Kendall walked further into the room and sat on the very edge of her bed, picking at the quilt.

"You're not those things, James," he promised weakly. "You're a jerk for dating my sister and not telling me, but I'm an ass for making you think you couldn't."

The couple sat in a shocked silence. Katie had the decency to lift a hand to close James's gaping jaw, and James had the kindness to feel sympathy towards his friend who had just minute ago gave a harsh blow to his ego. They were too shocked, however, to verbally respond. Kendall winced at this, still not having looked up.

"You're my baby sister, Katie—that's all you've ever been. It's always been _baby_ sister because I thought, hey, you were Dad's baby, and he died, so I had to step up and you had to be my baby and my sister. I'm as protective of you as he would have been because you may not be my little girl, but you're… you're my little girl—you're the number one girl in my life. You've always been there for me, and I thought I should always be there for you. I guess I'm just not good at expressing that sentiment.

"And James—you've always been there for _her_—you helped her when I couldn't, and you made Logan teach you Algebra over again just so you could help her. You've sacrificed so much for her—I always told her she was special because she was the only girl you'd stop time for. I never knew why, but now that I do… I guess it all makes sense, and I guess that's another reason I'm upset.

"I was actually _jealous_ of the relationship you had with my sister at points. You understood her so well and there were times when I just flopped. _You_ never flopped though. You made it so hard for me to be the best big brother. She started calling you and the guys her brothers when she was just six. I mean, wasn't I good enough to be her only brother? And she would ask for you sometimes because you were best friends. Granted you grew apart a bit upon LA, but you still got one another.

"I know you guys are… _good_ for one another, but I'm _scared_, because Katie _can't_ get hurt, and at the same time _James_ can't get hurt—and if one of you get hurt, the other will—it'll be hard on me. And… Yeah."

Katie frowned at him before jumping out of her boyfriend's arms on onto her brother, burying her nose into the crook of his neck. She was crying slightly but not enough to actually be embarrassed about like she normally would be. Kendall wrapped his arms around her tight and sighed. "I don't like this relationship," he admitted, "and I'm not going to for a while. But James—you're the only one who can make me like it. Treat her _right_ and I _won't_ kill you."

"Have I ever mentioned how awesome you are?" Katie murmured. "Because you really are. This is probably killing you right now, and Mom probably just chewed you out. But I know you're doing it for James and I. And it's really awesome of you."

"Seriously, man," James nodded. "It's really great of you."

Kendall grimaced. "Can you guys not like… kiss and stuff? Katie don't sit on his lap—"

Katie pulled away from him quickly, dropping her jaw and staring at him. "But I've _always_ sat on his lap!"

"But now it's got a different meaning!"

"Kendall! No kissing," she nodded, "but hand holding—"

"Oh, _god no_," he shuddered. "That'll be a constant reminder!"

"Which seems to be what you'll need," James smirked.

"Yeah," Katie agreed, "You'll have to get used to it one day. A constant reminder will make you accept the fact quicker." She looked over her shoulder at James and smiled, her eyes lighting up mischievously. "Maybe we can start calling each other pet names, too," she grinned. "What do you think my _cuddly Cuda?_"

"Oh _no_," Kendall muttered, shaking his head, plugging his ears, and clenching his eyes shut. "_La la la! _You two are nothing more than two best friends! _La la la!_"

James smirked and leaned over to kiss the top of her head. He picked her up off of Kendall's lap and pulled her into his chest. He knocked his friend on the shoulder and motioned to the door way. The blonde was more than happy to oblige with the request and bolted from the room, slamming the door behind him. The couple was laughing on Katie's bed, falling back onto the pillows in complete content.

"What's going to happen when I propose to you?" James started chuckling. "Kendall might just have a heart attack."

Katie's breath hitched at the question, and she didn't hear the second part. Was he really implying they would be together forever? "_P—propose?_"

He nodded. "Yeah! Not anytime soon, but I love you, Kates, I swear I will marry you one day if you'll allow it."

"Y—yeah," she stammered, her heart pounding. "I think I'd enjoy that."

"I think I would, too," he smiled before kissing her quickly.

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><p><strong>Hmm. Well, it didn't turn out as horribly as I thought it would...? <strong>

**I don't know, really... xDD **

**HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS LIKED IT. **

**Review? (: **


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